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NXT Takeover: New Orleans kicked off WrestleMania weekend, delivering probably the greatest Takeover in history!
EC3 vs Velveteen Dream vs Lars Sullivan vs Adam Cole vs Ricochet vs Killian Dain - NXT North American Championship
New Champs in WWE! More RIGHT HERE
The match started off in absolutely faced paced and brutal fashion.Suffice to say, everyone went through a ladder, and everyone took the most punishment possible. This especially goes for EC3, who took bump after bump after bump. So many ladders snapped and many bones looked like they could have been broken. Here's an example of the punishment they took:
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Lars Sullivan had gotten to the highest point but Killian Dain stopped him. EC3 prevented them both from making the ascent after hitting them both with a ladder. He set up his own ladder and side-by-side, it was EC3 and Adam Cole fighting. Velveteen Dream came in next and set up the THIRD LADDER!
Ricochet joined the fray and all six were up! Velveteen Dream seemed poised to grab the title but Ricochet hit him with an avalanche neck breaker. Lars Sullivan then hit a freak accident on to Killian Dain from the ladder! They are going all out! Sullivan was very badly cut int he mouth, and out of nowhere, Ricochet appeared out of NOWHERE and took Sullivan down!
Adam Cole pushed Ricochet down and climbed to the ladder, grabbing the title and becoming the first-ever NORTH AMERICAN CHAMPION!
Adam Cole became the FIRST-EVER North American Champion
Ember Moon(c) vs Shayna Baszler - NXT Women's Champion
Ember Moon began taking it to the champion right off the bat. They had a back and forth, but Shayna Baszler hit a vicious knee. Once Ember got the better, she had a flashback to the last match and stomped her hands and then slammed her arm down.
Shayna had a moment to breathe when she caught her in the turnbuckles. Shayna Baszler had a unique answer to injuring her arm by slamming her shoulder into the post. Outside the ring, Ember Moon jumped and gave Shayna Baszler probably the best Eclipse in NXT so far!
The two made it back inside the ring in the eight count, and Shayna even abruptly caught her in a rear naked choke before the champion slammed her arm. An eclipse attempt was caught in the perfect time and countered her into the rear naked choke.
She avoided getting pinned the same way as the last match, and despite only being able to lock in one arm, made the champion pass out. Shayna Baszler is now the face of the NXT Women's division!
Shayna Baszler defeated Ember Moon to become NEW NXT Women's Champion
Adam Cole was seen backstage somewhat injured, being attended to by the medical staff.
The Undisputed Era(Adam Cole & Kyle O' Reilly) vs Roderick Strong & Pete Dunne vs Authors Of Pain - NXT Tag Team Championship/Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Final
The Authors of Pain went right after Adam Cole, who was at far less than a 100%. They even opened the commentary table with intent to put Adam Cole through it, but Dunne and Strong stopped it from happening until AoP outpowered Dunne & Strong to send Cole right through.
Authors of Pain dominated the early going of the match. Pete Dunne took it to the Authors Of Pain and even Kyle O' Reilly, who he had a striking exchange with. AoP even hit the last chapter on O' Reilly, who was saved by Roderick Strong
It was Strong and Dunne's turn to dominate as they took out The Authors Of Pain. Pete Dunne hit the Pump Handle on Kyle O' Reilly. When he seemed poised to win, Roderick Strong shockingly broke the pin and hit Pete Dunne with a backbreaker, putting O' Reilly on top of him and pinning him.
The Undisputed Era retained the NXT Tag Team Championship and won the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic
Andrade 'Cien' Almas(c) vs Aleister Black - NXT Championship
Aleister Black started off on the aggressive very fast, kicking Almas in the face and even hitting a backflip outside the ring. He gave Vega a death stare, seemingly telling her not to get involved in any way.
Black went for the Octopus Hold after jumping over Almas. The champion gained the advantage soon after, catching him in an armbar. The two went at it back and forth, and Almas countered an amazing slam from the top turnbuckle, missing the double running knees in the process. Almas would then land a double moonsault.
The two would go on to have a very physical encounter, striking each other to glory. Zelina Vega got involved, unsurprisingly, as Almas and she pretended to leave, only for her to spike Black with a hurricanrana.
Black would even hit a Black Mass on Almas but Vega put his legs on the rope. Almas would continue to punish Black as he hit a double stomp on to the outside.
The two would go on to have an absolutely incredible match that ended when Almas accidentally caught Zelina Vega and Black hit a Black Mass.
Aleister Black defeated Andrade 'Cien' Almas to become the NEW NXT Champion
Johnny Gargano vs Tommaso Ciampa - Unsanctioned match
Tomasso Ciampa came out to no music, getting the loudest heel reaction in the longest time. The crowd did nothing but hurt verbal abuses at Ciampa. I truly must have been the most validating moment of Ciampa's career. Gargano, of course, came out to a huge pop and after an intense staredown, the two went right at each other.
Gargano stomped at Ciampa numerous times, leading to a huge pop from the crowd. The action went outside, where Gargano sent him to the crowd and Ciampa even exposed the concrete on the ground. Gargano would send Ciampa right onto Percy Watson in the commentary table. Ciampa almost sent Gargano through the table but he ended up suplexing him all the way down to the ground!
After a back and forth, Ciampa would go on to take the crutches of a disabled fan! Gargao avoided damage by the crutches and would even slam Ciampa outside onto the concrete floor. The crowd chanted" You deserve it!" to Ciampa.
Inside the ring, the two had a tug of war for the crutch and Gargano managed to get a hold of it. He punished Ciampa by whacking him with it multiple times. Though Ciampa sent him outside the ring. he still had his head slammed by the crutch.
The two countered other, with Ciampa blocking most of Gargano's offence. He knocked Gargano's tooth out with an elbow and would also hit him with a knee to counter the slingshot spear and a modified blue-thunder bomb. It wasn't enough to put away Gargano.
Gargano had Ciampa locked in the Gargano-escape but Ciampa raked his eyes to escape. No rules, no disqualification. Ciampa unwrapped his hand wrap to try to choke Gargano, but Gargano stopped him in his tracks and then got a big low blow from Ciampa.
The resilience of Johnny Gargano continued and he threw Ciampa into the exposed turnbuckle, hit two superkicks, but it wasn't enough, to the crowd's frustration and enjoyment.
Ciampa caught Gargano on the top turnbuckle trying to finish it, and he power bombed Gargano ONTO his previously injured knee! Gargano still kicked out!
Gargano would break Ciampa's crutch and Ciampa ducked in helplessness, and Gargano seemed to look on, weak with emotional attachment to his partner. Though the crowd was urging him on to smack Ciampa in the head, he threw it to the ground and then sat next to Ciampa, reminiscent of the Cruiserweight Classic.
Ciampa attempted to smack Gargano with his knee brace but Gargano, being wise, ducked and locked the Gargano escape onto Ciampa, who was still holding the knee brace. Gargano grabbed the knee brace and pressed it on Ciampa's face, forcing him to tap out.
Johnny Gargano defeated Tommaso Ciampa
Candice LeRae came out to celebrate and embraced her husband, who held the crutch and knee brace up in victory.
Not only was this probably the greatest match in NXT Takeover history, but this was perhaps the greatest NXT Takeover ever, and the payoff to the story was absolutely indescribable. Hats off to the competitors. Hats off to NXT!
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